Wearable Biomedical Devices Manufactured with Flexible Flat Panel Display Technology

Abstract

A wearable biomedical device manufactured with a flat-panel display technology is provided. The device comprises flexible thin-film layers and a flexible substrate. The layers are laid on the substrate and contain a flexible two-dimensional array of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and photodiodes. This array is connected to an external controller wirelessly or by wire, and the controller controls the pattern of activated OLEDs and photodiodes.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A wearable biomedical device that is manufactured with a flat-panel display technology, comprising:
 a) a flexible two-dimensional array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) or organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and photodiodes, wherein
 the array is connected to an external controller wirelessly or by wire, and 
 the controller controls a pattern of activated LEDs or OLEDs and activated photodiodes; 
   b) flexible thin-film layers, wherein the array is contained in the layers; and   c) a flexible substrate, wherein the layers are laid on the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the pattern of the activated LEDs or OLEDs and the activated photodiodes to maximize detected physiological signals and minimize noise in the physiological signals such that effectiveness of the device is insensitive to a position of the device placed on a subject. 
     
     
         3 . The device as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the device is used to monitor physiological signals of the subject. 
     
     
         4 . The device as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the physiological signals are photoplethysmograph (PPG) signals. 
     
     
         5 . The device as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the PPG signals are recorded in a transmission mode. 
     
     
         6 . The device as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the PPG signals are recorded in a reflection mode.